Instinct
by Goddess Fury
Summary: She knew being able find him when he hadn't wanted her to wasn't a good sign. It unnerved her. And the night only got worse from there. Season One. Cover drawn by my amazing husband!
1. Chapter 1

There hadn't been a mission assignment in about a week. They had been told that Batman was away taking care of some business and would not be gone much longer, but that meant he was not able to assign them to anything for the time being. There was no suspicious activity that the League needed them to investigate either.

Artemis was not one to complain when there was no mission to be deployed on. Of course she would rather there be one than not, but she could wait. Eventually one would come. And besides, complaining wouldn't magically make a mission available. It was best to wait it out.

Training with Black Canary had not ceased. The sessions had even been made slightly longer since the team could afford the time. Still, they could only take up so much time.

Though Artemis would not complain, she couldn't help the bit of restlessness that she felt. She wanted to be out solving something, helping someone. It was a part of her. She almost felt a little useless, though logically aware that was not true, if she wasn't doing something, even if that something was small.

And that is what found her out patrolling the streets of Gotham. After finishing her homework and studying for the night, Artemis hadn't been able to get to sleep. She wasn't tired and knew even if she had continued to lay there, she wouldn't have fallen asleep anytime soon.

The cool night air was just the thing needed to clear her mind and put her more at ease. As Artemis crossed building tops and wound throughout the streets and allies, sticking to the shadows as much as possible, she felt built up tension leaving her muscles. She had yet to come upon any crime in progress, but that didn't bother her. That meant that the people in this area were relatively safe.

The young archer had been patrolling for nearly an hour when she caught sight of something in her peripheral vision. Instinctively, she pressed herself into the air conditioning unit of the building she was currently atop, taking advantage of the darkness it offered. She reached back to her quiver and quietly slid out an arrow. She readied it in her bow and prepared to approach the building's edge. Whatever she had seen had disappeared into the alleyway below.

Artemis threw several cautious glances around her as she headed towards the edge, always wary of her surroundings. The building she was on wasn't too high, about three stories. She would be able to peer over and see down without having to strain.

As Artemis approached, she crouched down and then turned into a sitting position, placing her back against the wall of the edge. She glanced around herself a few more times and then pushed the back of her head against the edge as well. For a moment, Artemis listened. Listened for any movement, breath, or sound that would indicate someone below. Upon hearing nothing, she deemed it safe to look. She turned over to rest her weight on her knees, still not exposing herself over the edge. Her bow and arrow were at the ready, should she need them. Carefully, she raised the top of her head up and leaned over the edge until she was satisfied with the view she had.

At first, Artemis saw nothing but the shadows below. She scanned the area and still saw no movement. Artemis was beginning to wonder whether or not her peripheral vision was playing tricks on her earlier. Her eyes scanned the area one last time, yet again finding nothing out of place. The blond decided this place had taken up enough of her time and turned to leave.

A noise reached her ears.

In an instant, Artemis was crouched back down, her eyes locked on the shadowed corner where she was certain the sound had come from. She wasn't positive what it was she had heard, but it had seemed like…a muffled cough? Artemis couldn't be sure, but at least she now knew she wasn't crazy. Someone, or something, was concealing itself down there.

The young archer contemplated going down to investigate. If it had wanted to attack her, it could have already. It had had a good opportunity when she turned her back slightly and her full attention had no longer been on the alleyway for those few seconds.

'_Or it might want me to come down and I'll be walking right into its trap_,' Artemis thought to herself. If there was a trap, though, and she just left it, someone else could be hurt and she wouldn't be there to stop it. That realization made Artemis's decision for her.

Without taking her eyes away from the corner, Artemis placed the arrow she had taken out earlier back into her quiver and retrieved a grappling one.

She knew this needed to be done swiftly. The quicker she got down there, the quicker she could be prepared to face whatever it was that awaited her. With this in mind, Artemis stood abruptly, arrow already locked and aimed in her bow, and shot for the bottom of a window frame farther down. The tip of the grappling arrow made contact and locked firmly. Artemis gave a quick tug to be sure and swung down.

She made certain to land just in front of the shadowed corner. As soon as her feet planted on the ground, Artemis had an arrow pulled out, locked in her bow, and aimed into the shadows.

"Show yourself," she stated in a calm but firm tone. She kept her voice relatively low so that it would only be heard in the immediate area. There was no need to alert anyone else to her presence.

No response was received, but a second later, Artemis heard another muffled cough, much quieter this time, to her right.

Immediately the blond archer spun in the direction. Her face was scrunched in annoyance and she drew her arrow back a little further. She was getting sick of being toyed with tonight.

"Come out. Now," Artemis commanded in a threatening tone. She was half tempted to simply fire her arrow and force whatever this thing was out into the open. That wouldn't end well though, and she knew better than to be that rash. She settled for glaring harshly and taking a step forward, still ready to release her arrow if need be.

Soft chuckling was the last thing the blond anticipated hearing. Her glare slowly melted to a look of mild shock and surprise as she heard the familiar voice accompanying it.

"I must be a little off tonight if I couldn't get past you," the voice said lightly as a figure finally emerged from the shadows.

Artemis's eyes widened a fraction and she subconsciously lowered her bow. "…Robin?" the archer all but whispered. He was right; there had to be something off if he wanted to sneak away from her and couldn't. Granted, the cough was the only thing that had given him away and she hadn't heard him at all when he moved to her right until he'd coughed again, but normally he disappeared so fast without even being noticed.

There was more light chuckling as Robin stepped more into the light, allowing Artemis a better view of him. "Yeah, it's me," he confirmed, smirking at her still slightly shocked expression.

"Is Batman back?" she asked without really thinking, still keeping her voice quiet. Batman and Robin usually always patrolled Gotham together. Her mind had concluded that if Robin was here, Batman shouldn't be too far away.

Robin shook his head, letting the smirk fade. "Nah, just me for tonight."

Artemis nodded mutely, still taking in her teammate's appearance. It was barely noticeable, but his skin was a little paler and she could see small beads of sweat on his face and forehead. His posture was slightly slumped as well. "It was you I heard coughing then."

Robin visibly tensed at her statement. He couldn't very well deny it. His coughing was what had alerted Artemis to him.

Since she wasn't getting an answer form the Boy Wonder, Artemis closed more of the distance between them. "You're sick," she said bluntly.

Robin averted his gaze so that her eyes weren't boring directly into his own. "It's nothing, really. I'm fine," he told her, offering what he hoped would be a reassuring smile. He didn't want Artemis prying any further. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

The blond archer gave him a disbelieving expression, one that clearly showed she wasn't about to buy what he'd just said. "Robin-"

She stopped her sentence short and she and Robin both tensed as they heard heavy footsteps approaching. Robin took hold of Artemis's wrist and pulled them both back into the cover of the shadows. They pressed themselves against the wall and stayed silent.

The footsteps grew louder with each passing second. When they sounded like they were right near the entrance of the alley, the footsteps merely stopped, causing the acrobat and archer to tense completely.

They listened intently, scarcely daring to breathe. After around thirty seconds of an uneasy silence, the footsteps came to life again, this time going back in the direction they had though.

Artemis and Robin waited until no more sound could be heard before they allowed their bodies to relax in even the smallest amount. Artemis waited for some sort of signal form Robin. He knew the streets of Gotham and what to expect better than she did. Not that she couldn't handle herself if a situation arose, she just trusted Robin.

After several more moments of quiet, Robin relaxed his body more, Artemis following suit. "I think we're safe," he said so only she could hear. He released a low breath as he wiped his right wrist across his brow.

Artemis was about to ask the Boy Wonder if he was alright, as she had tried to do earlier, but she didn't get the chance. Said Boy Wonder suddenly launched into a coughing fit, his left hand covering his mouth, attempting to muffle the coughs as much as possible.

The young archer was promptly by his side, helping to steady him as the coughs racked his frame. Artemis stayed unspeaking. It would be pointless to ask him anything since he could probably barely breathe much less talk to her at the moment. For now, she tightened her grip a little as his coughs became harsher.

It was at least a full minute before Robin was able to get the fit under control. His body still shook slightly as he panted softly to regain his breath. Artemis loosened her grip but didn't let go.

"Sorry…about that," he whispered, his breathing still somewhat labored. He stood up straighter and Artemis released her hold on him. "We need to move from here. Someone may have heard," Robin informed her, some strength returning to his voice. He took a step forward, but his teammate intercepted him.

"I agree that we shouldn't stay here. But Robin…you should head home, or even to Mount Justice so you can rest. That cough sounded bad," she whispered to him, hoping that not too much seeped into her voice. She'd never seen Robin ill before, though. She rarely even saw him injured. It had unnerved her that she had been able to find him in the first place without him wanting her to. It unnerved her even more to see him in this state. Artemis knew it wasn't her place to try to get him to stop patrol, especially since he'd been doing it for years and could easily handle himself. But she also couldn't help how worried seeing him like this made her feel.

Robin smiled and shook his head at her. "Nothing to worry about," he answered simply.

Artemis was going to attempt to convince him again when she abruptly felt something slice her right cheek and Robin roughly pull her towards him in the same instant. As she came to a stop, Robin let her arm go and stood rigidly in front of her. Her mind was barely starting to catch up with what was happening when she felt liquid trickling down the side of her face. She figured it was blood, but she touched her cheek and brought her fingers into her line of sight nonetheless. As she expected, the crimson substance coated her fingertips.

An eerie cackle echoed through the alley, effectively snapping Artemis back to the present. She hastily nocked an arrow, stepped a little to the side of Robin, though still staying slightly behind him, and aimed out in front of her.

"Artemis, you need to get out of here. Take the roof behind you and go. I'll cover you," Robin spoke hurriedly. He already had a birdarang out and ready. Artemis hadn't even seen him reach into his utility belt.

"You're crazy if you think I'll leave you," Artemis retorted, a glare returning to her features as she came to stand more beside Robin.

"Artemis, I'm serious! You don't understand-"

The returning cackling, now louder, cut Robin off. "Now, now Bird Boy let your little friend stay. I promise she won't spoil our fun," a voice taunted.

"Joker," Robin all but growled out. Artemis immediately tensed at his words. She knew who the Joker was. This was not good. Not good at all. Even if he wouldn't admit it, Robin wasn't up to taking on the _Joker_ right now and she doubted she would fare very well without his help.

"Go while you still can!" he whispered harshly to her, narrowing his eyes at the psycho ahead of them.

He wanted to protect her. Wanted her to get away so she'd be safe even if that meant he wouldn't. He knew what the Joker was capable of and didn't want to risk her involvement. Artemis realized all of this. And that was why there was no way she could leave Robin alone.

Dark smoke started to seep into the alleyway from the Joker's figure. Robin could tell from the look of it that it was from a regular smoke bomb and, thankfully, not Joker Gas, but that didn't make him any less uneasy.

It took only a few seconds for everything around them to be consumed in the smoke, blocking their view of the Joker. If she hadn't been standing so close to him, Artemis doubted she would have been able to see Robin either. As it was, she couldn't make him out fully.

Joker's cackled echoed again. "Ready kiddies?" Artemis realized half a second too late that the voice was closest to her. Metal slammed into her left side, just above her hip, and sent her into the wall, the right side of her body painfully absorbing the impact.

She forced herself back to her feet as quickly as she could, collapsing her bow and hooking it behind her. It wouldn't do any good to fire blindly and risk hitting Robin or not hit anything at all and waste her arrows.

"What's the matter Boy Blunder? You can do better than this!" Ignoring the twinges of pain still coursing through her, Artemis started in the direction from which she heard Robin engaging the Joker. The smoke had begun to dissipate and she could just make out their forms.

A startled scream escaped her lips as large arms enveloped her from behind. "Sorry girlie, the boss doesn't like to be interrupted," a rough voice told her. 'Great,' she thought. Of course that maniac wouldn't show up alone.

"Artemis!" she heard Robin call out to her. The split second he'd spared to her was all the opening Joker required. He thrust his crowbar bard into the acrobat's stomach, sending him flying into the back wall. With the smoke mostly cleared and everything just a little hazy now, Artemis saw and heard Robin's head and back smack into the wall. He landed shakily on his feet, leaning against the wall for support. He was attempting to stand up more when another coughing fit struck him.

Artemis couldn't tell if she was more angry or worried at that moment. She had to get to Robin before Joker did. She tensed her right leg and hurled her ankle as fiercely as she could manage into the brute's kneecap. He howled in pain and loosened his grip immensely. Before he could recover, the archer slammed the back of her head into his nose for good measure. That instantly liberated her from the man's hold.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Artemis was running with all her might. She was bent on getting to Robin before Joker could.

To her shock, Joker made no attempt to halt her as she passed. He merely watched her go, his lips twisted in a sick grin. This should have been a major warning sign, but the blonde's mind was too focused on reaching Robin to really register the fact.

Robin was breathing heavily, his left hand holding his stomach where he'd been struck while his right shoulder leaned against the wall, when Artemis reached him. She allowed herself a quick moment to look him over, assuring that he was relatively alright, before she retrieved her bow, nocked an arrow, and took a protective stance in front of Robin.

The creep that had attempted to restrain her was crumpled on the floor, one hand on his knee and the other on his more than likely broken nose, screaming obscenities. At least he wouldn't be a problem for a while. She turned her attention back to the Joker, glowering hatefully. "You won't touch him again!" she seethed. Artemis could feel more blood ooze from the slice in her cheek, probably due to the adrenaline rush, but she ignored it. It could be tended to later.

The Joker's grin became even more sickening. "I'm far from done here little girl," he said, his tone becoming eerily serious.

The next thing Artemis knew, Robin had swiftly tackled her to the ground from behind. She lost the grip on her arrow and it shot off somewhere to her left as she landed on top of her bow. The archer heard something hit the wall behind them at the same time she saw the crazed clown's feet running towards them. Artemis and Robin rolled apart just as the Joker brought his crowbar crashing down between them.

Artemis tumbled to a crouch to see…confetti floating about her? She looked up to see several of what could only be Joker's henchmen, considering they were wearing clown masks, on the rooftops above. This night just kept getting better and better.

"You're disappointing me tonight Boy Blunder!" Joker's voice tore her gaze away from the henchmen. Robin was managing to dodge the wild swings of the crowbar, but just barely, and he would be backed against the wall soon.

The blond archer stood and sprinted forward. She couldn't let Robin get hit again.

Joker was ready for her. As soon as she was close enough, he ceased aiming for the Boy Wonder, spun around, and rammed the end of the crowbar into her torso, right above her belly button. He then used the momentum of the force, keeping the crowbar lodged in her stomach, to crash her body to the ground.

A strangled gasp came from Artemis's throat as she hit the alley floor. The wind was completely knocked out of her. She struggled to breathe again, but the psychopathic clown simply pushed down harder.

"Stop!" she dimly heard Robin yell. She was becoming really disoriented with the lack of oxygen and Joker seemingly trying to get her stomach to collapse in.

Robin lunged for them, and Joker had apparently been hoping for this, if his twisted smile was any indication. In a haste motion, he yanked the crowbar off of Artemis.

And used it to bash Robin in the side of the head. He rolled a few times upon hitting the ground, stopping a couple of feet from Artemis on his side, his back to her, and lay there, unmoving.

With the pressure relieved, Artemis was coughing and gagging for breath, but her eyes were glued to the still form of her teammate. She made herself to roll to her knees, though she couldn't yet breathe properly. Artemis knew she couldn't stand, so, as much as she hated it, she crawled her way to Robin. Fortunately, he wasn't too far, and although it felt agonizingly long, it was no more than twenty seconds before she made it to his side.

Gently, Artemis placed her hand on his left arm. "Robin," she choked out quietly. No response. She felt herself begin to panic, but it was alleviated slightly when she heard him breathing. New worry surged in her as she realized how congested it was however.

"Looks like I got to touch him again after all," Joker mocked, his laughs erupting once more.

Artemis turned around, still on her knees, and spread her arms out in front of Robin in a protective manner. "You're sick!" she spat, disappointed that her voice came out weak and dry and couldn't convey the absolute hate she was feeling.

"Why thank you," he answered merrily. Artemis glared as harshly as she could. "Such an attitude. Take a nap with the Bird Boy there," he stated, snapping his fingers.

White smoke began to emit from the squares of confetti scattered about. Artemis immediately felt her vision blur. '_Knock out gas_,' her mind vaguely registered. She tried to fight it, willed her body to stay awake, but to no avail. Her body slumped against Robin's and her eyes closed heavily.

Joker's hysteric laughing was the last thing she consciously heard.

* * *

Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

Cold. That was the first clear thought and feeling to penetrate her foggy mind. Everything was so cold, and though her mind registered the vague desire to shiver, she found she couldn't.

It was taking much longer than she wanted for her senses and motor skills to return. Her whole body was numb and tingling uncomfortably. Every part of her was too heavy.

With some effort, Artemis was able to crack her eyes open. Her vision was blurry and nothing would come into focus. She allowed them to slide closed again and attempted to push herself up.

Her body made her very aware of its pain as it protested the muscle contractions. Artemis grit her teeth and made herself bear it as she shifted to a sitting position with her legs crossed and her arms out to her sides to support her. Her body was trembling slightly from the movement and cold.

"Finally awake?" a hoarse voice questioned. Artemis peeled her eyes open again and looked to her left. Her vision still refused to fully focus, but she didn't need it to for her to recognize her acrobat teammate only a few inches away.

"Robin," she stated rather than asked. She squinted a bit to make her eyes see better. Robin was slouched against the corner of a wall in a semi-sitting position. He didn't look well at all. He was noticeably pale now and beads of sweat still coated his face. Looking closer, Artemis could see him shivering slightly, though she could tell he was making an effort to keep it under control. Her own body was still trembling, trying to rid itself of the numbness and chill that it was encased in.

"I think you'll need stitches, but I stopped the bleeding for now," Robin spoke quietly.

"Huh?" Artemis asked, looking up into the Boy Wonder's face. Her mind was still in a slight daze, so things weren't quite connecting like they should, much to her annoyance.

"Your cheek. His cards are really sharp," he clarified.

Artemis brought her right hand up and gingerly touched her cheek. The fabric of gauze and medical tape met her touch. Realizing it was there made her aware of the sting of pain. The skin of her cheek also felt tighter, like it was pulled together. '_That must be how Robin stopped the bleeding_,' she acknowledged. He'd bandaged it tightly so the blood couldn't flow freely out.

With the feeling beginning to return to her body, Artemis noticed she also had gauze bandaging her upper stomach where Joker had driven his crowbar into it. She lightly ran her fingers over that area as well. Where had Robin gotten the gauze though? She highly doubted Joker or anyone with him would have given them to him.

"They didn't take your belt?" Artemis blurted out as the thought came to her. Her eyes went to his waist and, sure enough, it was in place. She reached behind her and found that her bow and quiver were missing. This was odd. Why leave Robin with his utility belt and take her weapons away? Though the acrobat surely didn't look up to trying to escape, it didn't mean he couldn't and wouldn't try. "And where are we?" she said more to herself, finally taking in the surroundings: a small, dark room. No windows. There was a door down at the other end. She couldn't quite make out all of the details yet since her eyes were still adjusting. As her brain finally began to function properly again, many thoughts were flying through.

The white lenses of Robin's mask narrowed, signaling he'd closed his eyes, and he rested his head against the wall before answering. "They emptied out everything except for some of my first-aid supplies. Guess Joker wants us alive, for now." He coughed several times as he finished explaining.

Artemis scooted so that she was next to Robin. She wiped her left hand on her pants and then softly placed it on his forehead. He shuddered at the cold touch but didn't open his eyes or move away. Not surprisingly, his skin was heated. Even accounting for the fact that her hand was cold and would be more sensitive to heat, he was still warmer than he should have been. She brought her hand down to his cheek and felt the same heat radiating from it. His skin was clammy from the sweat.

"Fever," Artemis murmured mildly, moving her hand away. Robin nodded weakly in response. Now that she was more near him, the archer noticed a small gash on the side of his head where Joker had struck him. A small amount of blood had dried around it and Artemis was sure the area would bruise. "Do you have more gauze? Looks like you could use some patching up, too," she told him, concern evident in her voice.

Robin fumbled with one of the side pockets and produced a roll of gauze and some medical tape. He lifted up his hand and held the items out to Artemis. She took them from his grasp and Robin let his arm fall limply into his lap.

The blond unrolled the gauze and tore a piece form it. She folded it to make it thicker and so that it would cover the length of the gash. Taking the folded piece, Artemis pressed it lightly to the cut. Robin hissed a little at the pressure, but didn't protest. "Sorry," she whispered. She disliked making him more uncomfortable than he already was, but a head wound was not something to be ignored.

Keeping, the gauze in place with her left hand, Artemis picked up the rest of the roll with her right. She slipped it under her thumb, atop the thickened piece, and began to wind it carefully around her teammate's head.

Without having to be asked, Robin shifted and leaned forward so that Artemis could wrap around the back of his head as well, for which she was grateful. His body leaned a bit into hers as she worked, allowing her to feel his shaky breaths and the small shivers that ran through him. This caused her to form a frown.

She circled the gauze around three times, not too tightly, but enough so that it would keep light pressure applied. Artemis secured it in place with a couple of strips of the tape and checked to make sure she hadn't missed any other injuries.

"Thanks," she heard Robin mumble wearily as he slumped back against the wall, giving her a small smile.

"You're welcome," she replied, offering a small smile back. "I need to thank you, too," Artemis said, touching her bandaged cheek again. Even being this sick, he had still tended to her injuries first.

Robin's lips parted to answer her but he quickly covered them and turned away as harsh coughs shook him. Artemis watched with unease, wishing she could do something to help. She could only imagine how painful the coughs were. His voice sounded more raw each time he spoke.

Robin panted and shivered for a moment once the coughs left him. His hand pressed lightly against his chest as he attempted to regulate his breaths.

Artemis knew she had to get him out of here. This room was much too cold. Clean, she noted, but cold, and the longer he had to stay in here, the worse he would likely become. She gazed around the room once more, taking in more details this time. The floor was tile and the walls seemed to be brick. That explained why the room was holding its constant chill. There was no ventilation system, so no possible route of escape that way. The only opening into and out of the room was the door at the other end…

She had to at least inspect it, so, using the wall for support, Artemis shakily began to pull herself to her feet.

Her legs disliked the notion of supporting her weight and she had to lean heavily against the wall for a second to keep her knees from buckling. She wrapped her right arm around her torso as small pain coursed through it.

When she was mostly sure that she wouldn't fall flat on her face, Artemis pushed off of the wall and tested her balance. Her legs still tingled a bit, but she could manage. She eyed Robin. His eyes were closed and his hand had slid back into his lap. His breathing was deeper and more even as he leaned into the wall.

Artemis smiled a little to herself, despite their predicament. At least he could rest, even if only for a short while.

Her face became serious again and began to make her way to the door. She had already noticed that her communicator was gone, so she couldn't contact the rest of the team or the League for any help. She and Robin were on their own for now.

Being that the room wasn't all that big, it took Artemis little time to reach the door. It was a normal wooden one, judging from its appearance, with a single doorknob. Dim light ebbed its way in from around the door. There were no wires or chains around it as Artemis had been expecting. That didn't mean it wasn't boarded and chained on the other side, though. But the light streaming in wasn't being cut off anywhere, she noted looking around the door again, so that meant nothing was across it. Was it only locked? The archer reached out her fingers to grasp the doorknob.

Immediately she regretted it.

Pain erupted from the contact and spread throughout her body. The blonde's muscles seemed to gain minds of their own as she violently jerked back and fell hard to the floor.

'_Stupid stupid stupid_!' was what she thought as she landed in a heap with every part of her cringing, tightening, and convulsing against her will. Everything was searing with hurt and Artemis scrunched her eyes closed and gritted her teeth together as much as she could to keep from yelling out in pain and frustration. Pained grunts still managed to escape her clenched teeth.

"Artemis? Artemis!" Robin's startled voice called to her. She tried to respond, but her body was still twitching uncontrollably and bringing pain with it. All that came out was a noise somewhere between a groan and a scream.

Artemis forced her eyes open half way when she felt gentle pressure on her right bicep a minute later. "It'll pass, just breathe," Robin told her calmly as she tried to focus on him. He was kneeling down beside her. The young archer nodded stiffly, reclosed her eyes, and attempted to take deep breaths.

It seemed to take forever, but gradually her muscles began to relax, the spasms died down, and the pain started to fade.

"I-I'm okay," she told the Boy Wonder, finally able to speak. Artemis sighed in relief. Her body was aching and sore, but nothing compared to what it had been, nothing she couldn't deal with. "That was stupid of me, sorry," she said as she sat up. Getting tazered from a doorknob. The young archer was a little annoyed with herself. She should have been much more cautious.

"Let's move away from the door," the acrobat said in a serious tone, eying it as he stood. He didn't trust that the door didn't have any more 'fun' surprises in store for them.

Artemis stood as well, not too trusting of what could happen next either. She didn't feel very steady on her feet, but she didn't fall over, so that was a good sign.

Robin began walking in front of her, but he was swaying a little and it looked to be taking all of his strength to stay up at all. Her own pain quickly forgotten, Artemis went to his side, draped his right arm around her shoulders, and wrapped her left around the middle of his back, letting him lean his weight onto her. The blond frowned at the heat coming from his body.

"Don't strain yourself," she told her teammate quietly. Artemis helped him walk back to the other end of the room and gently slid him down to rest against the wall again. She sat down next to Robin and felt his forehead, confirming what she'd already suspected. His fever had gone up. Not drastically, but a fever rising at all was never desirable.

"Can you get any signal?" the young blond asked, indicating Robin's gloves where his computer was stored, hoping for some glimpse of hope. Escape currently seemed very unlikely, but she wouldn't give up until they exhausted every last possible option.

"It's busted," he said as his eyes drifted down to his gloves and Artemis didn't miss the small amount of frustration in his voice. Several coughs followed his words.

Artemis really wanted to use the Joker's ugly face as a punching bag for an hour or two right about then. They had no means of communication and the only way out of this dang room was a stupid, regular door that they couldn't even _touch_. She was extremely irked.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Artemis fixed her gaze on the young acrobat who appeared lost in his own thoughts. "What do we do now?" she nearly whispered.

As if on cue, some commotion from the outside, near the door, drew both of their attention. Sounds of things being moved and thrown reached their ears and then slowly, agonizingly slowly, the knob turned and the door began to open.

* * *

Bruce Wayne exited the company building, glad that all the meetings had at last been taken care of. He had been in one meeting after another throughout the week, but they were over a day sooner than he had anticipated, so that was a small something to be grateful for.

His phone vibrating in his pocket brought him out of his thoughts. His eyes narrowed slightly at the caller ID and he made sure he was out of the earshot of any passerby and out of their sight before answering. The fact that it was nearing four in the morning meant that there really weren't many people around, but he was not one to take chances.

"Mast Bruce, thank goodness I was able to reach you," Alfred's distraught voice came through before Bruce could speak. He could instantly tell something was very wrong from the way the older man was speaking.

"Alfred, what is it?" Bruce questioned becoming very serious. He already had a sinking feeling about why the butler was calling.

"Master Bruce, Master Dick has not returned from patrol and I have been unable to contact him. His signal has disappeared from the trackers as well," Alfred worriedly explained.

Sometimes Bruce hated when his feelings turned out to be right.

* * *

Thank you so much everyone for all of the reviews, alerts, and adding to your favorites! That was much more feedback than I was expecting! You all overwhelmed me hehe. I appreciate it more than I can tell you!

I wanted to have this up sooner, but I had so much work and had to pull an all nighter Tuesday to get it done. I worked on it every free second I had though to get it up asap. :)

To the reviewers that asked: No, this is not a Robin and Artemis pairing. Sorry if I misled you, but this is strictly friendship between them and support as teammates. I will only pair Artemis with Wally. [I really love that couple x) ]

Thank you all so much again and I would greatly love to hear more from you!

And I forgot to put this last time: Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story and I am making no profit from writing about them!


	3. Chapter 3

It took some mental effort for Bruce to mind the speed limits as he headed home. He cursed each red light and stop sign that delayed him.

He had tried to contact Robin right after getting off of the phone with Alfred, but to no avail. As the butler had said, the young acrobat had vanished.

When the manor came into view, the billionaire couldn't help the extra pressure he put on the gas pedal. In no time, he was inside, parked, and headed for the Batcave.

A frantic-looking Alfred awaited the Dark Knight as he descended the steps. "Master Bruce," the elderly man greeted raw worry in his voice. It wasn't unusual to not be able to reach Robin for a little bit if he was in the middle of something, but the Boy Wonder didn't stay out this late on patrol alone and had not checked in even once. Alfred could not hide how distressed he was.

Bruce was already changing into the Batman, fully intending to head out the second he got a lead on Robin's location. "When did he leave, Alfred?" he questioned, heading over to the computer, leaving his cowl off for the moment.

"Around ten o'clock, sir," the butler answered. Robin had bid him a haste farewell before taking off, assuring Alfred he would try not to be gone too long. When he neither returned nor checked in some time later, Alfred attempted to get in touch with the Boy Wonder unsuccessfully. He waited awhile and then tried a few more times before deciding to track him down. That was when he discovered Robin's signal had disappeared and the elderly butler got ahold of Bruce as quickly as he was able.

Batman nodded curtly in response, attempting one final time to get any kind of a trace on his partner. All he managed to find was Robin's last known location, but it was something at least. He stood up and pulled his cowl on. "This is the last place his signal came from," the Dark Knight informed Alfred, showing him the screen. "I'll start there."

"Do be careful, Master Bruce."

As Batman turned to leave, a corner on the screen of the computer began blinking, indicating an incoming call. He glared in annoyance at it. It was past five in the morning and he was more than in a rush, so whichever League member it was better have a darn good reason for calling.

When he noticed it was coming from Mount Justice, his glare lessened, but just barely. The Dark Knight quickly accepted the call. Black Canary appeared on the screen with a much more serious expression than she usually had.

"Sorry for calling the Batcave directly, I wasn't sure where you'd be," she explained. Batman could tell something was not right from her tone and how quickly she spoke.

"What is it?" he questioned gruffly, narrowing his eyes a little more.

"A package was left outside of Mount Justice. I found it as I was coming in. It's addressed to you," Black Canary explained, her voice serious. She lowered her eyes and sighed before looking back up and making direct eye contact. "It says it's from 'Uncle J.'

Everyone in the League knew who the Joker was. They didn't have the same kind of understanding of him that Batman did, but they were aware of what he was capable of and knew he was not to be taken lightly. Black Canary was rightly worried.

The Dark Knight's eyes narrowed into slits as he heard her words. "Don't open it. I'll arrive shortly." Black Canary nodded and he shut off the computer as he stood, ending the transmission. "Let me know right away if you hear anything from Robin," he said to Alfred, though already knowing that he would.

"Of course, sir," the butler answered simply, eyes trailing after Bruce as he walked away. His worry only increased at the prospect of the Joker having something to do with their inability to find Robin. He could only hope that Robin would hold his own until something was figured out.

* * *

Kid Flash stretched as he exited the zeta tube and headed toward the kitchen. Normally he wouldn't be at the mountain so early, but he had been very awake and very bored at home. Not wishing to disturb his parents, he decided to head to Mount Justice. It had been a very quiet week with no missions and no disturbances in Central City, so Kid Flash had some bent up energy. There was a training session scheduled with Black Canary in a couple of hours, so he figured he'd come a little early and warm up.

As he entered the kitchen, he found M'gann slowly going through the pages of a cookbook. "Hey there, you're up early," he greeted with a smile.

"Oh good morning Wally," she greeted back cheerily, setting the cookbook aside.

"Supey up too?" he questioned. It seemed Kid Flash wasn't the only one with energy to spare.

"Yes, he went to take Wolf for a morning run," the Martian girl responded.

_Recognized Batman zero two._

Both teens looked up at the announcement of the Dark Knight's arrival. He passed by them quickly though, without a word.

M'gann's face fell into a small frown. "Something…is not right with him…"

Kid Flash gave her a questioning glance. "What do you mean?" He had noticed Batman looked more stern than usual and appeared to be in a hurry, and it seemed M'gann had noticed something as well.

She looked pensive for a moment. "I felt a lot of emotion coming from him. He is less calm than usual," she answered hesitantly, as if she wasn't quite sure what she had sensed from the Dark Knight.

Before the speedster could respond, the computer was announcing the arrival of another.

_Recognized Green Arrow zero eight._

M'gann and Kid Flash exchanged looks before heading out of the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Hey you two," Green Arrow greeted the teen heroes as they approached. "Artemis around here by chance?"

"No, she hasn't come here yet today," M'gann said, a frown tugging at her lips again.

Green Arrow's face became more serious. "Have either of you heard from her?" They both shook their heads, beginning to take on worried expressions.

"Did something happen?" Kid Flash questioned, a barely noticeable hint of urgency in his voice.

"I need to contact Batman," Green Arrow said quietly and started to walk past them.

"He's already here. What's going on?" Kid Flash questioned again, a little frustrated as he and M'gann followed after the archer. He definitely did not like being kept in the dark when it came to his teammates.

"I'm not too sure myself," the older hero answered and continued walking, the two younger heroes right behind him.

* * *

"It's been scanned. No explosives or chemicals were detected on the outside," Black Canary informed Batman as he entered the workout room where she had brought the box.

Batman eyed the box. It was striped with dark purple and green. Longer than it was wide. A joker card was attached as the tag.

Approaching footsteps caused the Dark Knight to turn around. Green Arrow, Kid Flash, and Miss Martian were heading towards him.

"Batman, we have a problem," Green Arrow stated. The Dark Knight looked at the archer and then to the two behind him, a silent question as to whether or not they should be here for this discussion. Green Arrow followed his gaze and understood, but knew it would be pointless to try to send them away. They were already suspicious and there wasn't time to waste arguing with them.

"Green Arrow, please. Has something happened to Artemis?" the Martian girl worriedly asked. She was doing her best to remain patient, but it was making her anxious to not know anything at all.

"Explain," Batman requested quickly, locking eyes with the archer.

Green Arrow kept the eye contact as he answered. "Artemis's mother contacted me a little while ago to see if I had heard from Artemis at all because she wasn't in her room. I hadn't, but I tried to reach her. Her communicator isn't functioning and she isn't responding to any calls. I can't track her either. Artemis is missing."

"What?" Kid Flash exclaimed, not hiding his stunned expression. M'gann wore a shocked expression as well, her hands tightly clamped together.

"When did her mother last see her?" the Dark Knight questioned, aware of the rising panic in the two teens.

"As far as she knew, Artemis was still in her room. She thinks she left sometime after ten thirty last night, though, since she didn't really hear anything in Artemis's room after that."

Batman eyed each of them before settling his gaze back upon Green Arrow. "Robin has gone missing as well," he told them. Everyone's eyes widened and Black Canary, who had walked closer to the group, looked at Batman in slight bewilderment.

Wally's eyes widened the most. "What?" he asked in a shocked whisper. He was aware that some of the color had drained from his face and that his heartbeat was quickening. He didn't want to believe that his teammates, his best friend and the girl he…cared, _a lot_, (he mentally admitted without really realizing) for, had simply vanished. His hand went to his communicator. "Robin, dude, can you hear me? Come in," he spoke into it hurriedly. Static was he received, causing his stomach to twist a little. He was about to try again when he felt a hand on his left shoulder. The speedster removed his hand from his communicator and looked up into the face of Batman.

"All contact has been cut off with Robin as well. His trackers have also been disabled," the Dark Knight told him calmly.

Of course Wally knew this. He knew that Batman would be doing everything to find Robin. It was just instinctive for him to do everything in his power to help his best friend if he was in trouble. He lowered his eyes and nodded numbly.

Batman removed his hand and turned around. "This may hold a clue, however," he informed the group as he headed closer to the box.

"What is it?" M'gann asked timidly.

"We don't know yet," Black Canary answered her quietly.

All eyes were on Batman as he knelt down a short distance from the box and took a moment to inspect it further. Everyone remained silent until he stood back up.

"Miss Martian," he said, turning back to face the others. "I want you to very carefully levitate the lid off of this box," he stated, directing his gaze to her. She looked back nervously, her hands still wrung together, but nodded nonetheless. "All of you, stand further back," Batman ordered as he began moving towards the entrance of the room. Everyone followed him wordlessly.

Once they were all as far away from the box as they could get in the room, they stopped and M'gann went to the front of the group, next to the Dark Knight. Kid Flash was close behind her. "Slowly," Batman told her. She looked up at him and then focused on the box. Miss Martian spread her arms out in front of her and her eyes glowed green.

They all seemed to hold their breath as the Martian girl delicately raised the box lid. Going at the slow pace made her a bit anxious; it seemed to be making everyone present a bit anxious.

About forty seconds later, M'gann had the lid gently hovering above the box. No explosions had gone off and no chemicals had come pouring out, fortunately. "Place it to the side," Batman instructed her next. She carefully set it down a little away from the box. Still, nothing happened. "Stay here," the Dark Knight commanded and began to make his way to the box.

It took him little time to reach it and when he saw the box's contents, his cowled eyes enlarged a fraction.

Inside the box were some of Robin's birdarangs, his Eskrima sticks, Artemis's quiver with arrows, and her bow, collapsed. On top of all of this was a folded piece of paper. Batman narrowed his eyes at it, knelt down, picked it up, and stood back up. He unfolded it and scowled as he read.

**They're mine now Batsy.**

**Find them if you can!**

**Uncle J**

Batman gripped the paper tighter when he finished reading Joker's sloppily written taunt. He resisted the urge to crumple the paper. He had feared this when Black Canary had first told him who the box was from.

"Batman?" Black Canary called to him, an edge of concern in her voice.

The Dark Knight kept the note in his right hand as he turned back to face the others. He kept his voice calm as he spoke, although there was an undertone of harshness. "The Joker has Robin and Artemis."

That was all it took for Kid Flash to super speed over to the box. His eyes widened once again as he peered inside. His shoulders slumped and his eyes lowered as the realization sunk in. Robin had told him several stories about the Joker before. The maniac did things for _fun_ that made the speedster cringe. He felt a little sick knowing that his friends were being held captive by a guy like that.

The rest of those present had come back over and their eyes filled with more worry as they saw the proof that the Joker had the two young heroes in his possession.

"What now?" Green Arrow asked in seriousness.

"I know Robin's last location before his signal was cut. I'll start there," Batman answered and started to head for the door.

Kid Flash looked up and took a few steps forward. "Batman let us-"

"No."

"But we can-"

"No," he said more sternly and continued walking. Surprising everyone, Kid Flash super sped and stopped right in front of the Dark Knight, blocking his path. He didn't even give Batman a chance to tell him to move aside before he began talking.

"Batman I know Joker is dangerous and I know you don't want us to get in the way but I can help! Please I can't just sit around and do nothing! Robin's my best friend and Artemis…I'll check every inch of Gotham if I have to! Just please…" Kid Flash pleaded, speaking quickly, but not so much that he couldn't be understood. Batman directed a small glare at him, but another surprise stopped him from responding.

Miss Martian came to stand beside Wally, placing her left hand softly on his right shoulder. "Batman, Wally and I really can help. I can establish a psychic link between us so we don't have to worry about anyone hearing us talk. And if Robin and Artemis are nearby, I'll be able to sense them! They're our teammates, our friends! Please let us help you!" Her voice had gained more confidence as she spoke. And she knew Batman was aware of her powers, but she had felt the need to clarify how she could be of use.

Batman's face remained stern as he watched the two. They looked back at him with determination in their eyes. They were willing to do anything as long as it meant they could save their friends. "You will both do exactly as I say. Disobey me once and you will be sent right back. Understood?" he finally said.

Kid Flash and Miss Martian nodded strongly in agreement. As long as they could aid in rescuing Robin and Artemis, they'd do whatever the Dark Knight said. "Miss Martian, prepare your bioship," he ordered. She nodded again and flew off, already changing into her stealth uniform. Kid Flash changed his uniform to stealth as well and followed after her.

Batman turned slightly to glance back at Black Canary and Green Arrow. "Contact us if you need anything. We'll be here," Black Canary told him. He had surprised her by allowing Wally and M'gann to go. She had actually expected him to refuse no matter what, so it would be better for her and Green Arrow to wait until needed. Batman gave her a curt nod.

"Tell Artemis's mother we'll have her back soon," he instructed Green Arrow. The blond man nodded in affirmation. With that, he walked out.

They would get Robin and Artemis back and Joker would not get away with his twisted game.

* * *

I apologize for taking so long with this update! I had too much going on and then finals. Two more finals and then I'm done though, and I'll have more time to write this. :) Thank you all so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! They make me so very happy and motivate me to update as quick as I can! Please continue to tell me what you think and if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer. :D

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything!


	4. Chapter 4

Artemis was completely tense as she watched the opening door. Her body had subconsciously shifted into a crouching position, not really sure what to expect to happen next. Robin was equally tense next to her, his eyes narrowed.

As the door was opened further, they could see a thick, bare arm gripping the knob. That ruled out it being the Joker. His arms weren't that big. It didn't make either of them any less wary though.

With how slow whoever the person at the door was being, Artemis almost considered going over and yanking it open the rest of the way herself, but with what had happened earlier, she wasn't going to risk it.

They only had to wait several more moments before the door swung open fully and the person finally stumbled in. Upon seeing him, Artemis's eyes grew a bit.

It was the man who had tried to restrain her back at the alley. The blond archer hadn't gotten a good view of his face back then, but if the bandages wrapped tightly around his knee and the thick gauze all around his nose weren't indications enough that it was the same person, she didn't know what would be. He had dark lines under his eyes and his eyes were a little watery. Seems she had succeeded in breaking his nose after all. He hobbled in on a makeshift crutch. She must have caused some damage to his knee as well.

When the man's gaze trailed to Artemis, he sneered darkly at her. "There you are," he muttered in disgust and began making his way to her.

Artemis glared right back at him just as fiercely. She stayed crouched on the ground. It would be easier to take his legs out from that position and bending down would be difficult for him, providing her another advantage.

"Keep his attention," Robin spoke so faintly that Artemis wasn't completely certain he'd actually spoken. She quickly shifted her eyes to glance at him. He was sitting up a little straighter and he was still tense, but his eyes remained locked on the brute heading towards them. The blond quickly snapped her gaze back to him as well.

"You think you're real tough, don't ya," the man stated, rather than questioned, in a hateful tone. He was half-way to them now, his movements slowed because of the dependence on the crutch. "Let's just see how tough," he growled out, forcing himself to move quicker.

The young archer discretely glanced once more at Robin and then slowly stood to draw the man's attention to her. She trusted her teammate had some sort of plan. "Try me," she told him, hardening her glare. She usually wouldn't taunt her enemies, especially in this kind of situation, but it was necessary for the moment.

"Mouthy brat!" the brute snarled as he finally reached her. With speed that Artemis wasn't expecting, he thrust his arms out and grabbed her throat, slamming her into the wall behind her and allowing the crutch to clatter to the ground. "You'll regret that," he spat out bitterly and pushed her harder into the wall and applied more pressure to her throat to cut off the oxygen supply.

Artemis gagged and choked a bit from the pressure, her hands already around his and working on pulling them off of her. She cracked her eyes open, gritted her teeth, and gave the guy the best glower she could manage in that position. He looked back at her with absolute disgust and squeezed harder.

Artemis was preparing to give him a good, hard kick to the gut before the lack of air made her black out when Robin suddenly appeared in her line of vision. He struck the brute with his left hand swiftly and heavily on the inside of the collar bone, a pressure point. The blond watched the man's eyes widen and then droop closed, his hands releasing her neck at last. He fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

The young archer stood unsteadily on her feet, choking and gasping to get oxygen flowing through her body again. She felt a little lightheaded, but she was pretty sure she wouldn't pass out now.

"You okay?" Robin asked gently, taking a few seconds to make sure that the thug wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

"Y-Yeah," Artemis managed to choke out hoarsely. It hurt her a bit to talk. And, unfortunately, she figured she would have marks on her neck for a while.

"Let's get out of here then," he stated firmly and turned toward the door. Artemis nodded and stepped around the man to follow the acrobat. He was moving more steadily now; she figured it must be the burst of adrenaline from taking down the thug and prospect of escape. She could feel it coursing through her as well.

Once they reached the door, Robin stopped and took a few moments to listen for any movement and inspect for traps. Artemis listened and was on edge too. Once they deemed it safe enough, they exited the room.

Outside of the room, they noticed the broken pieces of some contraption scattered about. Judging by the wires and other parts, Artemis figured that's what must have been used to electrify the door.

Scanning the area, they noticed the only way out was concrete steps leading up. There were no other doors or rooms aside from the one they had been in. Robin looked back at her, a silent agreement passing between them, and they headed for the stairs, keeping their footsteps light and silent.

There wasn't an extreme amount of stairs for them to climb thankfully. The two young heroes kept themselves pressed against the wall as they neared the top. Once they reached the door, they stopped and listened for any movement or voices that would indicate someone outside. They heard nothing. Hesitantly, Robin reached up and placed his gloved fingertips on the doorknob. Nothing happened. This door didn't seem to be rigged like the other. That at least was something positive.

Gently, Robin gripped the doorknob fully and softly opened the door a crack, making no sound. He peered through the crack and gazed around the outside surroundings. There were no lights on, so he couldn't make out all of the details, but he could tell there were no people patrolling around and no one standing guard. It was odd, but led him to conclude that the man from earlier wasn't supposed to come down there and likely hadn't told anyone that he'd gone. That was a lucky break for them.

The acrobat quietly opened the door enough so that he and Artemis would be able to slip through. His eyes scanned the area once more before he slid out, keeping himself pressed along the wall. Artemis quickly followed. They glided along until they reached a large crate that provided them some cover.

"What is this place?" Artemis questioned as quietly as possible.

"Factory…looks abandoned though," Robin answered just as quietly. Looking around, he noticed that all of the windows were boarded up, allowing little light to enter. The area they were in was spacious. There were several doors in different places around the room leading to who knew where. More crates of varying sizes were scattered about. Old machinery and tools cluttered other parts of the place.

"Which way is out?" Artemis asked, her eyes taking in the surroundings as well.

"Don't know, we'll have to find one," Robin responded, wiping sweat from his brow. Artemis noticed him starting to shiver again and frowned. The sooner they found a way out, the better.

A door clicking open caused them both to go rigid and crouch down lower behind the crate. They heard footsteps approaching, though not towards them. From their position, they could see the room they'd come from, but it wouldn't be easy for someone to see them. The footsteps were headed towards that room.

After a few seconds, a masked henchman came into their view. Robin and Artemis practically stopped breathing and kept completely still. When the henchman noticed the door ajar, he came to a halt for a moment and then hastily walked into the room. The young heroes knew it was only a matter of time before he discovered they were gone and things got hectic.

Artemis's eyes darted around seeking and escape route. They hadn't been found yet, but they couldn't stay in that spot forever. Eventually they would be seen.

Shouting alerted her that it was too late. She heard the henchman's feet thundering up the steps. "They've escaped!" he yelled loudly before he was even out of the room. Immediately a door was flung open and more people pounded out.

"What do you mean they've escaped!" another man shouted furiously.

"I mean just that! They're gone you idiot!" the henchman yelled back angrily.

"Shut up! Just shut up! We have to find them! Joker will have our heads for this!" a different frantic voice cried out.

While they argued, Robin quickly and cautiously peered around the crate, observed for a couple of seconds, and then hid himself again. He stayed low and motioned for Artemis to come closer to him. She obeyed and lowered herself down next to him.

"Ten of them. Probably have to fight our way out," he informed her, speaking softly. Artemis nodded solemnly. She'd figured they would have to at some point.

"Shut it! All of you! Split up and search every inch of this place! Find them or else!" one of the henchmen commanded. There was some murmuring of agreement and then footsteps moving in different directions.

The crate they were using for cover was fairly close to where the men had been gathered, so the archer and acrobat had very little time until one or more of the henchmen would be over. They silently stood up and pressed their backs into the crate. They would be relying mostly on their hand-to-hand combat skills, so they didn't need to make their presence known right away. Though it seemed the men wanted to take them alive, it was best to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible.

Artemis heard footsteps coming from her side and got ready. There was no way the man would not spot them if he looked, but perhaps she could get him before he realized what happened. Her eyes narrowed and body tensed in anticipation.

As soon as the henchman came into her sight, Artemis acted, grabbing him and jerking him around the crate in a haste motion, clamping her hand over his mouth to stifle any shout or scream. Just as swiftly, Robin struck a pressure point, rendering the man unconscious. Artemis lowered the man noiselessly to the ground and looked at Robin with a victorious smirk. He returned it with one of his own. If they could keep this up, they might be able to get through half of the goons before the rest knew what was going on.

"Hey! Over here!"

Or things could continue to go downhill for them. That surely wouldn't be anything new. The young archer refrained from groaning in frustration as she saw the goon who had spotted them heading their way and heard the others running towards them. She prepared herself for the imminent fight that was about to take place.

Robin rushed forward to engage the approaching henchman at the same time Artemis heard men coming around to her side. She jumped out and met the oncoming man with a roundhouse kick to the face, sending him flying, the back of his head smacking painfully into the face of the other thug that had been not too far behind him. They both crashed to the floor, moaning in pain. Artemis didn't stop. She ran forward and delivered a hard right hook to the cheek of the third oncoming man. His head hit the ground and he was unconscious.

A fourth henchman lunged out, aiming a punch at the blond. She ducked out of the way and rammed her elbow into his diaphragm, eliciting a strangled gasp from the guy. His knees buckled and he fell forward, gasping and choking. Artemis gave him a good hit to the back of his head and he was out.

She was about to go around and rejoin Robin when she heard gunshots being fired. The blond felt her chest tighten and whipped around just in time to see the acrobat flip up onto the top of the crate, the bullets following and embedding into the ceiling. Whoever was shooting really couldn't aim well. Robin rolled backwards off of the crate and landed in a crouch near Artemis. She noticed him breathing hard.

"One left but he's got a gun," he panted out quickly. They just really couldn't catch much of a break.

"Come out you brats!" the man yelled, firing a couple of shots through the crate, causing Robin and Artemis to duck down. Robin looked around quickly or anything that would be useful right now. His eyes landed on a nearby unconscious henchman. Staying low to the ground, he moved as quickly as he could and grabbed the henchman's mask off. He then moved back against the crate, Artemis beside him. He signaled for her to stay quiet and then began to listen intently for movement from the thug.

"I'm coming for you! Move and I'll shoot!" the goon shouted and started to come around to them. Robin heard his footsteps and could tell they were coming from the direction closest to him. He silently moved until he was at the corner of the crate.

When the man sounded close, Robin sprung out, staying in a crouch. In a swift motion, he threw the mask like he would one of his birdarangs, sending it flying into the man's face. It hit him right at the top of his nose, between the eyes, causing his head to snap back. In his shock, he released the gun from his grasp and it clattered to the floor. Robin ran forward and landed a spin kick to the man's chest. He sailed through the air for a couple of feet and then landed, knocked out.

"Robin?" Artemis called cautiously, peeking around the crate. She saw him standing alone and came around fully, walking towards him.

"Got him," he answered, turning to her with a small smirk. His breaths were heavier now, Artemis observed. He took a step towards her, but had to stop suddenly as harsh coughs began racking his frame. They made his body shake violently. He had already been out of breath, so the coughs made it even more difficult for him to intake air, causing him to become lightheaded. His knees buckled and he began to collapse.

"Robin!" Artemis yelled in a panic and ran to him. She wasn't far from him, but Robin's knees still hit the floor before she was able to reach him and catch him to stop him from falling the rest of the way. He felt heavy and his body continued to shake badly with the coughs as Artemis attempted to support him. She could only watch with worry as he coughed and gasped.

Artemis couldn't say for sure how long the coughing fit lasted, but she was beginning to panic and wonder if Robin was going to suffocate from lack of oxygen by the time it did finally end. He fell limply into her arms once it was over. Artemis repositioned him so that he was lying on his back across her lap, her right arm supporting his neck and head. His breaths were coming in shallow pants and his eyes were scrunched closed. Beads of sweat covered his forehead and face and his cheeks were flushed a faint pink. The archer could feel the extra heat radiating from him and his body trembling against hers.

"Robin…" Artemis spoke softly. He gave no indication that he'd heard her, only kept panting. She bit her bottom lip a bit in worry. Robin probably couldn't even sit up right now, much less get up and help her find an escape exit. She'd have to carry him if they were to get out right then.

Trying not to jostle him too much, Artemis brought Robin up onto her back. He still didn't respond though. "Hold on Robin, I'll find us a way out," the archer told him, trying to keep her voice calm and confident, though she felt anything but.

Carefully, Artemis stood and began walking towards a door on the other side of the room, doing her best to keep the acrobat steady. It was a little more difficult than she had anticipated. Robin's panting had slowed down, but his breathing was still too erratic for her liking.

The blond archer had just passed another crate when she saw the door she had been heading towards begin to open. She halted, and as quickly and quietly as she could, darted behind the crate. Robin groaned softly at the sudden movements.

"Shh, it's okay," she whispered as she eased him to the ground. Robin shivered at the cold feel of it.

"Well now, what's all the commotion in here," Artemis heard the unmistakable voice of the Joker call out. She cringed. This was the absolute last thing they needed right now. She began racking her brain to come up with anything to help in this situation.

"Come on out kiddies. I know you're in here. You can't hide forever." His voice sounded playful. He was enjoying this. That made Artemis want to get out of there all the more.

Getting out was easier said than done though. Making a run for it wouldn't end well. And facing him directly would mean leaving Robin alone. She didn't have much of a choice at this point though.

Robin groaned again quietly and shivered harder. Artemis placed her palm on his forehead to try to calm him and frowned. He really was much too warm. She hated having to leave his fever untreated for this long.

"How touching," a sarcastic voice bit through her concentration. Artemis was on her feet in front of Robin in an instant, face to face with the grinning clown. "Little birdy isn't doing too well now is he?" His grin widened.

Artemis snarled at him and made sure she was positioned so that Joker would have to go through her to get near her acrobatic teammate. "You keep things interesting girly. But all fun must come to an end." With that, Joker lunged for her.

The young archer braced herself. Joker made a grab for her. She ducked and landed a solid punch to his stomach. The clown grunted in response and Artemis smirked a bit. The smirk quickly disappeared as the Joker's hand latched onto her wrist and she was roughly spun around and placed into a choke hold, both arms pinned behind her back. She squirmed and thrashed, but that only made Joker painfully tighten his grips. Lightheadedness started to overtake her as it became increasingly difficult to breathe.

"I don't tolerate defiance," Joker whispered tauntingly into her ear. Mustering all of the strength she could at that moment, Artemis smacked the back of her head into Joker's face. His hold loosened, but not near enough for her to attempt escape.

The next thing Artemis knew, she was being slammed down against the floor, her left temple colliding painfully with it. Her arms were still being twisted and pulled behind her back. She felt dizzy and about ready to relieve her stomach of its contents as she gasped and coughed for air.

"You don't listen too well. We'll have to work on that," the crazed clown told her as he pulled her arms back further. The archer gritted her teeth to keep from crying out. If the psycho continued at this rate, something was going to be pulled out of place or broken.

Just when she was certain she couldn't take anymore, Joker eased up, only to toss her into the side of the crate in the next second. Artemis slumped down and fell forward onto her stomach a few inches from Robin. Everything was spinning and she found it hard to concentrate and breathe properly.

"I'll make sure both of you learn." That was Joker's voice wasn't it? It really was hard for her to focus. She managed to slightly crack her eyes open to view Robin's figure in front of her, though it seemed to be going every which way. The blond made an effort to reach towards him, to get his attention, to tell him to get away, but Joker walked over and casually stepped most of his weight on her outstretched hand. That time the archer did cry out. She scrunched her eyes back closed as the world spun even more.

"Ro…bin…" Artemis's voice came out as hardly a whisper as she made one last feeble attempt to get her teammate's attention.

"There'll be time for more fun later girly," Joker laughed out. He delivered a deft kick to Artemis's side. The young archer registered intensified pain but couldn't even make a sound before her consciousness was abruptly taken away.

The Joker laughed louder.

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**A/N:** I know I haven't updated in forever. I'm very thankful to everyone who continued to review, favorite, and alert in my absence. You kept my inspiration and drive going. If you didn't go to my profile and see the note I left back in August, the reason that I have not been able to update in so long is because my husband was in a horrific car accident on July 2nd. He had massive internal injuries and a few times it looked like he might not make it... Thankfully he did, though he's mostly been in the hospital ever since.

My husband was mostly incoherent and unresponsive for the first month and a half he was in the ICU. I really wasn't the most 'sane' person during that time. I couldn't focus to do much. I couldn't really read fanfiction much less write it. I did bring my story with me to try to work on, but I'd write a few words and then just couldn't work anymore...

It was also hard because the last time I had seriously worked on this story and was really into it was the night the accident happened... In fact, I was supposed to go with my husband that night, but I stayed home to work on this because I wanted to have it done for him to read that night. If I had been in the car, I would have been killed instantly. So I just had so many mixed feelings when thinking about this story.

I promised I'd never leave a story unfinished though and I keep my promises. I will never discontinue this story, you have my word on that. My husband is home now, thank goodness, though he still has a very long recovery to go. So I am able to work again.

I can't tell you how often I'll be able to update. There's many things that I have to take care of, but there will be time for me to work on my story. I love writing my stories and never give up on them.

Thank you for sticking with me through this difficult time and I hope you still enjoy my writing. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Her head pounded as she came to. Really, her whole body was pulsing with pain. Even breathing was causing a sting. Artemis didn't want to move, didn't want to open her eyes, but consciousness was nagging at her. She began to inhale to take a deep breath, but quickly realized that something was…restricting her chest from expanding? Artemis snapped her eyes open and looked down at her body.

Chained. She was chained down onto what seemed to be a table. And the chains just barely left her enough room to breathe. She struggled against the binds, making her very aware of her stiff neck and shoulders, but they were much too tight and the archer had to relinquish her efforts. She wouldn't be escaping from these on her own.

Artemis rested her head back down and sighed. She had to keep calm. Constant struggling would only exhaust her and she needed her energy right now. The blond turned her head to the right and gasped at what met her eyes.

Robin was chained to the wall in the corner, his arms above his head and his body slumped forward. It was apparent that he was unconscious. The only thing that slightly relieved Artemis was that she could tell he was breathing.

"Robin!" she managed to croak out. Her voice was hoarse and her throat felt dry and raw. Thinking about it, neither she nor Robin had had anything to drink in a while. Yet another reason for her to worry. Robin really didn't need to get dehydrated on top of being sick. "Robin!" the archer tried again, achieving a little more loudness.

Her calls did nothing to stir the young acrobat. He remained motionless, oblivious to the world around him. The blond cursed silently to herself. She could only hope that Joker hadn't done anything to further injure Robin while she'd been out. She couldn't see any new injuries on him, but there wasn't exactly good lighting in the room and one never knew for sure when Joker was involved.

Artemis wondered how long they were going to be left alone in this room. On one hand it was good that they were being left alone for the time being. On the other, the longer they were stuck in there, the worse Robin would become and they wouldn't have much chance for escape.

The young archer didn't have to wonder for very long. A door opening to her left caught her attention. Artemis couldn't help the scowl that formed as the sneering face of the Joker entered her view. Suddenly, the thought of being left alone for a while longer didn't seem so bad.

"Ah good. The little archer is up," Joker commented with his lips stretched into a sickening grin. He shut the door behind him and walked calmly to stand between Robin and Artemis. "Let's wake the Bird Boy to join our fun," he said as he turned his gaze upon the dark haired teen.

"Don't touch him!" Artemis growled out. Her desire to protect her teammate added strength to her voice. The young blond again struggled uselessly at her binds. "Leave him alone!"

"Now now, you wouldn't want dear little Robby to miss out on anything, would you? That just wouldn't be fair," Joker patronized as he crouched down next to Robin and poked his cheek none too gently. There was no response. The smile faded from the crazed clown's face and he poked the teen roughly several more times in succession, jostling Robin's head. Still he remained motionless. Artemis was tensed on the table, hating that there wasn't anything she could do to help at the moment.

"Well this just won't do," Joker complained, his sickening grin returning. He gripped Robin's chin in his left hand and lifted his head. "I need you awake Boy Blunder!" the Joker laughed out as he raised his right arm, poised for a backhand strike.

"Stop! What're you—" Artemis began to yell, her whole body straining against the chains.

The resounding echo of the slap throughout the room cut her short. She stared in silent horror at the mark rapidly forming across Robin's right cheek. Joker smiled victoriously as the acrobat grimaced and then groaned softly, slowly regaining consciousness.

"That's it, look alive bird for brains," the clown taunted, lightly slapping Robin's cheek a few times more, causing him to grit his teeth. "Can't have you missing any of the show." With that, Joker relinquished his hold and stood back up. Robin settled back against the wall with a few light coughs. He attempted to work some of the kinks out of his stiff neck and shoulders, but it was obvious he couldn't get very comfortable with his arms still suspended in the air. Artemis badly wished she was free in that moment to be able to help in some way.

"Now that we have an audience, things can get started." Joker's voice brought them both back to the present. Robin finally lifted his head up. He looked at Artemis long enough to assess that she was fairly ok and then turned a heated glare to the Joker. The crazed clown was completely unfazed and walked over to the corner furthest from them. He bent down and appeared to be searching through something. They heard some clanking and Artemis had a sudden sinking feeling that this was going to end very badly.

"Your friend has been quite uncooperative Robby dear. What do you say we teach her to be a good little girl?" a grinning Joker questioned as he stood up and turned to face the young heroes. Artemis felt her stomach sink further as she laid eyes on the steel pipe in his hands.

"Leave. Her. Alone," Robin commanded, put emphasis on each word. He had the most hateful look Artemis had ever seen. She watched him pull at the restraints around his wrists, but to no avail.

Joker let out a chilling cackle, walking closer to the archer. "You're in no position to make demands," he said eerily as he ran the pipe along the length of Artemis's leg. The blond involuntarily shuddered.

"Joker, just let her go and do what you want with me." There was the slightest hint of pleading in the acrobat's tone. It was apparent he was scared for his teammate and whatever that psycho had planned for her.

The clown prince of crime pretended to consider the plea. "As tempting as that sounds Boy Blunder, I'll have to pass," he answered, his grin stretching even farther. He gripped Artemis's chin in his hand. She attempted to wrench away, but that only made him painfully tighten his hold to still her. "Hurting her will hurt you more." The satisfaction was clear in his voice.

"Joker no! Let her go and you can do anything with me. I won't resist." Artemis could tell Robin was on the verge of panicking. He was trying to bargain with the _Joker_, of all villains! Part of her felt honored and humbled that he was willing to go to that length to try to protect her, though she figured he'd do it for all of his teammates if they were in this situation. The other part of her was growing more and more fearful because of how desperate Robin was to not let Joker follow through with whatever he was planning for her. It made it more real that this was going to end badly for her.

The Joker released his grip on the blond, complete ignoring the dark haired teen. He crouched down and seemed to be fiddling with Artemis's restraints. When he stood back up, he was holding a few loosened chains. He tossed them over the table and they clattered to the floor. The young blonde's midsection was now completely exposed. She tested the binds again for any weaknesses, but they continued to hold her firmly in place.

Without warning, the Joker slammed the pipe down solidly into the young archer's stomach. She gasped in shock and pain, her body arching up as much as it was able. The blow had completely knocked the air out of her and she struggled to get it back, the strangled sounds filling the room.

"Artemis!" she heard Robin's panicked voice shout. Next to her, the Joker laughed in delight. She struggled to breathe properly again and keep her body from forcibly projectile vomiting.

Just when she was starting to get a tiny bit of control back over her body, Joker brought the pipe down into her stomach again, much harder this time. Artemis couldn't help the strangled scream that tore from her throat. She had never been struck that hard in the stomach before. She could hear Robin yelling, but was too disoriented to make out his words. The pain pulsed from her midsection throughout her whole body, making it nearly impossible for her to concentrate on anything else.

"Having fun?" Joker whispered in her ear. The blond couldn't even find the strength to open her eyes in that moment, much less retort. She coughed, trying to catch her breath, and to her alarm, her mouth filled with liquid. The coppery taste was unmistakable: _blood_. The archer turned her head to her right and coughed a few more times, allowing the blood to spill out, not wanting to choke on it.

"No…" Robin gasped out in horror at the scene before him. "Artemis, no! Joker stop this!" he shouted in desperation.

"You should know I won't end our fun this soon Bird Wonder," the Joker answered back with amusement in his tone. Artemis heard clanking and felt the pressure from the binds relieving. She tried to move to sit up, but that only resulted in pain shooting throughout her body and she quickly stopped. "We're just getting started!"

The chains fell away from Artemis's body and pooled on the ground around the table. Joker firmly gripped the blonde's ponytail, causing her to grit her teeth and grunt, and none too gently drug her off the table. She hit the floor and cried out, but the clown continued to pull her along by her hair. Once he had Artemis placed in front of Robin, he dropped his hold. The young heroine groaned in pain, but made no attempt to move from the position.

"Let's make this more interesting kiddies," the Joker stated, digging in his pocket. He produced a ring that had to have at least thirty keys. He tossed it so that it landed between Robin Artemis. "One of those unlocks your cuffs Wonder Boy. If you can get free, we can have a nice little game of hide and seek. If not, I'll make the little arrow here pay me in limbs," the crazed clown explained, nudging the archer with his foot as he mentioned her. She groaned again softly and a little more blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.

"You'll pay for this," Robin practically snarled, giving the Joker his best version of the Bat glare. He was pale, sweating, and had a feverish flush, but the look was threatening nonetheless.

The Joker cackled in delight. He reached down and pulled Robin up by his hair so that they were eye to eye. The acrobat grit his teeth together; he wouldn't give the psycho the pleasure of hearing him make any noises of pain. "We'll see Bird Boy, we'll see," Joker taunted darkly. He roughly released the young hero, making him hit the wall with a small thud. "You have one hour. Don't disappoint me Wonder Boy."

With that, Joker walked out the door and slammed it shut, leaving Robin alone with a barely conscious Artemis.

If they couldn't win at Joker's 'game,' they were going to end up paying the highest price. Robin wasn't willing to let that happen.

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**A/N:** Hello there everyone. I apologize for the extremely long wait again. I really did not want to make you all wait so long, but I had no choice. Very shortly after I updated the last time, my husband had to be admitted to the hospital again and was there for awhile. He had 3 more surgeries and things were crazy. But we are back home again now and he's doing much much better. :) I wanted to update sooner when we got home, but we've been drowning in appointments and paperwork along with everything else. Some day things will calm down haha.

Thank you all so very much for the reviews, favorites, alerts, and well wishes for my husband! They mean so much to me and I really love reading your reviews and knowing what you think!

******Also, I forgot to mention last chapter: My very dear friend did a drawing for chapter 3 of this story. Her name on devianart is Dream-Piper. She is a wonderful artist. My other dear friend also has some amazing art of Young Justice up. Her name on devianart is ActionKiddy. She has a drawing up of Artemis as Batgirl with Robin beside her. It's so awesome! They are both really really outstanding artists, so check them out if you'd like!

I hope to have the next chapter up sooner rather than later. Thank you so much for the continued support and I'd love to hear what you think!


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